Startups invited to enter pitch competition

JASPER — Elevate Ventures and Current Blend will host the second annual Dubois County Pitch Competition from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5 at Brew, 408 Main Street, Jasper.

During the competition, individuals and teams will share their business, innovation or entrepreneurial idea before a panel of judges in the hopes of earning prize money, which will serve as an investment in their startup. The competition will build on the growing entrepreneurial community in Southwest Indiana.

“Last year’s pitch competition had a great turnout and brought out great ideas and conversations,” said Eric Steele, Elevate Ventures’ entrepreneur-in-residence. “The success of the event highlighted local and regional entrepreneurs in hopes to continue to build up the entrepreneurial ecosystem and help turn these ideas into businesses.”

A total of $8,000 was awarded in 2017 to four companies.

In late 2017, Elevate Ventures partnered with the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana to form Elevate Southwest Indiana, a group dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship in the six-county region.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the Nov. 5 event.

Companies looking to participate in the pitch competition can enter by emailing an executive summary or paragraph outlining their startup idea to Eric Steele at esteele@elevateventures.com.